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Values Beyond Boundaries Values Beyond Boundaries This page was generated automatically upon download from the Globethics.net Library. More information on Globethics.net see https://www.globethics.net. Data and content policy of Globethics.net Library repository see https:// repository.globethics.net/pages/policy Item Type Book Authors Ike, Obiora F., 1956- Publisher Printed and bounded by BEW IT LTD Rights With permission of the license/copyright holder Download date 04/10/2021 00:35:45 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12424/166582 Values Beyond Boundaries Essays on Ethics, Politics and Corporate Governance Obiora F. Ike ii Values Beyond Boundaries - Essays on Ethics, Politics and Corporate Governance © Obiora F. Ike , 2016 ISBN: 978 – 978 – 53982 – 1 – 12 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of the copyright owners. Printed and bounded in Nigeria by BEW IT LTD 19 Ibiam Street, Uwani, Enugu. Tel.: 08038946169, 08180869775 Values Beyond Boundaries - Essays on Ethics, Politics and Corporate Governance iii Table of Contents Chapter 1: 1 The Value of Values Chapter 2: 11 Ethics and Democracy Chapter 3: 19 Pope John Paul II’s “Laborem Exercens” and its Relevance for the Nigeria Ethics of Work in the Public and Civil Service Chapter 4: 37 Ethics in Higher Education as Tool for Discovering Our Ultimate Destiny Chapter 5: 47 Global Poverty and Global Health - From the Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) To Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's) Chapter 6: 57 The Integral Nature of African Cultural & Religious Values as Ethical Values Chapter 7: 69 Development in Africa: Cultural, Ethical and Religious Considerations Chapter 8: 79 Philosophical Response to Socio-Political and Economic Challenges in Africa Chapter 9: 87 Expectations on Social Infrastructures from the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Year 2002 Budget Chapter 10: 99 Training of SAOs and their Deputies on Aid Management and Coordination iv Values Beyond Boundaries - Essays on Ethics, Politics and Corporate Governance Chapter 11: 107 Corruption: Threat to Democracy and Market Economy - The Case of Nigeria Chapter 12: 121 Hot Spot Nigeria: A Response Chapter 13: 139 Violence in Nigeria - An Overview Chapter 14: 145 Regionalism, Ethnic Conflicts and Democracy in Africa Chapter 15: 149 Religion and Politics - Perspectives of the Social Teaching of the Church: The Case of Nigeria Chapter 16: 165 Righteousness in Governance Chapter 17: 179 Grassroots Women Animation and Conscientization Towards Political Awareness and Democratic Behaviour and Action Chapter 18: 183 Transformational Leadership and the Challenges of Governance in Enugu State Chapter 19: 195 Everything has its Time; The State of the State Chapter 20: 207 Cultism Versus Freedom and Learning in Educational Institutions in Nigeria Chapter 21: 219 The Social, Political and Economic Situation of Nigeria: A Critical Survey Chapter 22: 233 The Business of Business is Ethics The Value of Values 1 Chapter One The Value of Values 1. Conceptual Definition of Values The English word VALUE comes from the Latin root “ valere ” which means “to be of worth; to be strong, to stand for something’ . Value literally means “something that has a price, something precious, dear and worthwhile; something one is ready to suffer for and sacrifice, including readine ss to die for if necessary”. In casual language, Values are understood as something that adds quality to human life. The dictionary gives further meaning about value as something of ‘relative worth, utility or importance; degree of excellence, something as a principle or quality intrinsically valuable’ . Universally, values have come to be accepted as a “set of principles or standards of behavior regarded as desirable, important and held in high esteem by a particular society in which a person lives; and the failure to hold them results in blame, criticism or even outright condemnation” . History records show that every human society hold certain traditions asculture and an accepted way of life, a practice and norm of behavior for the members of that particular society, held sacred and transmitted from generation to generation. From the above, it could be said that without values, one would be floating like a piece of driftwood in the swirling waters of a river however exciting it may appear first. A life without proper values will become chaotic and disastrous. It will be like a boat without a rudder. Of the various philosophical interpretations and hermeneutics around the subject, the following ideas retain place in virtually all cultures and societies when values are referred to namely: • Values give meaning and strength to a person’s character and occupies a central place in one’s life; • Values reflect one’s personal attitudes and judgments, decisions and choices, behavior and relationships, dreams and visions; 2 Values Beyond Boundaries - Essays on Ethics, Politics and Corporate Governance • Values influence the thoughts , feelings and actions of people; • Values guide persons to do the right things; • Values help human beings to act morally and be morally sound; • Values give direction and firmness in life and give meaning to actions; • Values give motivation for a person to live and act; • Values identify a person, giving him name, face and character. To guide our life in the right path and to embellish our behavior with good qualities, we need values. A life without proper values will become chaotic and disastrous. It will be like a boat without rudder. Values and Ethics are inter-related and often used inter-changeably. Ethics which are founded on values are necessary codes of human conduct. Ethics promotes harmonious life of integrity. It is also a general framework within which harmonious societal development is facilitated. Ethics deals with the integrated development of human personality. It touches the human person, human dignitry and all the obligations that flow from the nature and dignity of human person in relation to oneself, others, community, society and the world. Ethics focuses the attention of people on the ultimate human goal which influences all good values to replace every evil value in the world. From a global perspective, there is noticeable consensus and rejection of the world and its governance structures as it is currently experienced because many believe that it was meant to be different and much better. These worldwide challenges do not leave us in apathy or lethargy but challenge renewed, urgent and value-driven action to redeem humanity at this time. Despite the many successes recorded against hunger, diseases and world poverty, the information in global connectivity and media communication, space travel and ability to feed over seven billion human beings daily with several technological achievements, there are other difficult challenges posed by wars and terror, a rise in global insecurity due to poverty and economic uncertainty; growing agitation for inclusion by many citizens leading to political turmoil and migrations in nations; the challenges and abuse of technology which today controls the human person and not the other way round; natural catastrophes and the climatic changes experienced in virtually all countries and continents due to the overuse of the earth’s resources.. It is not that these problems are new but they seem to have assumed greater proportions and increased in their intensity. The Value of Values 3 The continuing disrespect for human life and the dignity of all persons and the seeming lack of Political Will and Value-Driven-Leadership to solve these problems pose urgent imperatives on the discipline of Ethics to call humanity to order. Like many have gradually realized, “ it is clear that the most important challenges humanity face are not simply political, economic or technical. They are rather Ethical, Moral and Spiritual. Our time and countries face fundamental questions of life and death’. In his recent address to the Pontifical academy for Life, Pope Francis characterizes these points with clear words: “the study of the virtues in the ethics of life is a subject of academic interest which addresses an important message to contemporary culture: the good that man does is not the result of calculations or strategies, not is it the product of the genetic order or social conditionings, but it is the fruit of a well-disposed heart, of the free choice that tends to true good. Science and technology are not enough to do Good. Wisdom of the heart is necessary… ” (Cf. Zenit, Vatican News Agency, 3 rd March 2016,Vatican City). Ancient African and Hebrew wisdom teach that “it is in the heart that both ‘Reason’ and ‘Will’ reside. The heart is the seat of decisions, of the way of thinking and acting. The heart, in sum, is the synthesis of humanity molded by the very hands of God” (Cf Genesis chapter 1;). The first nature to protect therefore so that it will bear fruitis our own humanity, so Pope Francis... “We must give our humanity clean air of freedom and the vivifying water of truth; protect it from the poisons of egoism and life. Then on the terrain of our humanity, a great variety of virtues will be able to flower”. 2. The Value of Values Human beings are described generally as social by their nature and desire to stay in society, not in isolation. Persons cannot grow or mature in isolation but need the influence of others to be fulfilled. As persons living in a society, human beings need to acquire certain values and manners which are essential for a respectable and successful life within that society and is generally accepted as norm for that social context. In simple language, values are ‘the rails that keep a train on track and help the train move smoothly, quickly and with direction ”.
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